Abella’s laughter soon became bitter.

“That’s resolved, and for what I was looking for, is there any progress?”

“There were no witnesses, no survivors, no evidence, nothing. That’s the end of the line you know.”

“....Dig more.”

“If something comes out, I will contact you right away.”

“Thanks.”

Father.....

As soon as Abella left for Vincent, the investigation was not conducted properly and was covered.

The incident that even the great Amerigo didn’t want to dig up anymore.

‘What the hell had happened?’

Please, let her find out. That was the only way she could survive.

She hadn’t slept properly ever since the incident.

In her dream, she returned to the scene again and again.

In the arms of her dying father....

And as she stood by helplessly, watching her father engulfed by her magical power....

*

Arsene stood in front of the restaurant.

His lips with the cigar cracked open.

How could he leave her crying like that?

He did not know how many cigars burned as he waited for Abella to come out.

Arsene counted the fifth cigar with a nervous face.

He lowered his eyes and rolled the remainder of the cigar on the floor.

At the moment when Arsene, who picked up the cigar himself and threw it into the bag the servant gave him, tried to take out a new one, Abella opened the door and came out.

Her face was swollen.

‘Your face still swells when you cry.’

Arsene put the cigar back and smiled awkwardly.

“Oh, the smell of cigars.”

Abella turned her head around and found Arsene.

Arsene, who was leaning against the wall, straightened up his body.

“Arsene......? Why?”

“Then should I have gone alone?”

Arsene groaned and approached Abella.

After Abella left, he started smoking cigars, but now that she had returned, he had to give it up.

Arsene brushed the dust off his jacket and told Abela.

“Come with me. I want to hear the answers that I haven’t heard before.”

“....answers?”

“I’d like to hear it in the carriage.”

Arsene strode away first.

Arsene turned his head toward Abella, who had been standing still for a while.

“Let’s go, Abella.”

Abella followed Arsene as if possessed.

It’s been a while since she’d last done this.

Abella fiddled with her earlobe.

*

Enoch leaned against the railing of the balcony and looked out.

“Hmm. Are you coming back now?”

Why would the Duke of Sirius’s carriage come to Amerigo at the end of the evening?

Maybe Arsene was trying to take Abella home.

Enoch rolled the candy in his mouth.

The more he thought about it, the more difficult it was.

Enoch’s gray eyes glared at the carriage.

Arsene Sirius.

Well.

If it’s for a beautiful woman, he had to bear this much.

Enoch nodded his head.

Arsene knew nothing about Abella.....

Enoch had deliberately reminded Abella about her engagement, so it should be settled soon.

‘If it’s Abella’s personality.’

Enoch raised his lips.

And soon a smile broke out as expected.

*

“From tomorrow, we’ll move back to the main house.”

“The main house?”

“That’s what happened.”

In the meantime, Abella swallowed all the stories in her mouth.

Abella told Enoch nothing about her experience here. Of course, Yuri didn’t even know everything about Abella.

She lived so harshly that no one she met in Vincent could know about all the stories inside her.

No.

She couldn’t open her mind to anyone.

Since her father died, Abella’s only had herself by her side.

Who would love a villain like Abella?

“The main house is more comfortable to work in.”

“And I.. decided not to break the engagement.”

That was the decision of Abella and Arsene.

They continued talking in the carriage on the way back.

She didn’t bring up all the stories they had spoken of. They only talked to each other as much as they needed. Even so, both of them couldn’t even make eye contact because they avoided each other’s eyes.

“What?”

Enoch dropped the lollipop he had been eating.

The dining room table was left with an imprint of the round candy.

“What’s wrong?”

“...Why didn’t you break up?”

“Because I thought I might need a shield, too. My relatives are already dying to bite me, so I’m anxious.”

“....so?”

“The Duke of Sirius has the power to protect me from them. With him, I wouldn’t need Volot, who was willing to be my fiance.”

“.....and?”